Method for making off-set louvered heat exchanger fin

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly (10) includes a pair of tanks (16, 18) with a plurality of flat-sided fluid tubes (20) extending between the tanks (16, 18). Fins (22) may be located externally between adjacent fluid tubes (20), and may be located internally within each fluid tube (20) for increasing heat exchange. The fins (22) are formed by a plurality of undulations (32) establishing lengths of walls (34) between peaks (36) of the undulations (32). The walls (34) include a plurality of slits (44) therein forming panels (42) between adjacent slits (44). The panels (42) are "randomly" deformed of various contours to extend at various distances from the walls (34) to increase heat exchange.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of making fins for a heat exchange assembly which includes a plurality of fluid tubes extending between a pair of end tanks, the method including the steps of: providing a sheet (31) of heat conducting material;   forming panels (42) in the sheet (31) by cutting a pair of spaced slits (44) in the sheet and concurrently sloping one edge of the panel (42) adjacent one of the slits (44) with respect to the remaining edge of the panel (42) adjacent the other slit (44);   deforming the angled panels (42) to predetermined contours, and   deforming the sheet (31) into undulations (32) having peaks (36) with the panels (42) formed between adjacent peaks (36).   
     
     
       2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including cutting a plurality of spaced slits (44) in the sheet along spaced rows (90). 
     
     
       3. A method as set of forth in claim 2 further including bending the sheet (31) into a plurality of undulations (32) between the spaced rows of slits. 
     
     
       4. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including forming the panels (42) and concurrently sloping one edge by cutting the sheet with an angled cutting member. 
     
     
       5. A method of making fins for a heat exchange assembly of the type utilizing a pair of tanks with fluid tubes interconnecting the tanks, the method including the steps of: providing a sheet (31) of heat conducting material;   cutting panels (42) in the sheet (31);   deforming the panels (42) to contours extending on one side of the sheet different from the contour of the next adjacent panel extending on the same side of the sheet.